Brain Tumour Collaborative Unites to Fund New Research

April 16, 2009

Eight Philanthropic Organizations United Against Brain Cancer
Announce New Funding Opportunity

Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative Aims to Spur Development
of Non-Invasive Response Markers for Human Gliomas

April 16, 2009/ Today, the eight North American private funding organizations comprising the Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative announced a new funding initiative aimed at accelerating development of non- or minimally- invasive methods for monitoring if, when, and how human brain tumours are responding to investigational therapies. This represents the second round of funding offered by a unique collaborative funding effort representing private foundations and patient advocacy groups. The Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative inaugurated its funding program in 2005, awarding grants to three multi-institutional, collaborative research projects. The Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative primary goal is bridging the "translational gap" that can prevent promising laboratory findings from yielding new medical treatments. Information about Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative is available at www.braintumourfunders.org.

The eight members of the Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative are: Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, Children′s Brain Tumour Foundation, the Goldhirsh Foundation, the Ivy Foundation, the James S. McDonnell Foundation, the National Brain Tumour Society, the American Brain Tumour Association, and the Sontag Foundation. The Ivy Foundation, established in 2007 joined the Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative in 2008. The National Brain Tumour Society is a new organization resulting from the 2008 merger of the Brain Tumour Society and the National Brain Tumour Association.

Despite the dedicated and heroic efforts of researchers, clinicians, patients, and families, altering the devastating outcome for individuals diagnosed with aggressive brain tumours has remained elusive. For most patients the tumours will be lethal. Recently, however, research progress in genomics together with a better understanding of brain tumour heterogeneity and new approaches to clinical trials has fueled renewed hope among the brain cancer community.

Prior to announcing this new call for proposals the Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative spent two years surveying the brain tumour research landscape seeking opportunities where private funding could accelerate progress. The Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative investigations identified the need for response markers as critical to the ongoing development of interventions and to the design and execution of small scale, "smart" clinical trials designed to quickly access efficacy of treatments. Recently, there has been a groundswell of interest among the policy, research, and clinical communities to identify biomarkers for use in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers. The Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative hopes its funding will help ensure that brain cancer patients are likely beneficiaries of new technological advances.

The Brain Tumour Funders′ Collaborative will receive and review proposals during the summer and award the grants during the early fall of 2009. Details are available at www.braintumourfunders.org.


For more information contact:
Susan Marshall
Executive Director
Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
Phone: 1-800-265-5106 x222
Email: smarshall@braintumour.ca
Website: www.braintumour.ca

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